Tell Trainline about the family days out you have planned - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Trainline is developing a new days out tool to help with finding new places to visit and they’d love to know which family days out you’re planning this year, and – if you’re going by train – how you plan on entertaining your children on the journey.

They also want you to get involved with helping them to shape their new tool - you can suggest new attractions to be included in the tool using the “suggest” button.

Here’s what Trainline has to say: “At Trainline we’re always looking for ways to make journeys smarter. Clare Gilmartin our CEO, is a mother of three, and keeps us focussed on our customers by reminding us that “it’s the little things that make a big difference”, from saving a few minutes by using a mobile train ticket to getting a great deal using the best fare finder, and this is the ethos that we have at the heart of what we do. Our latest days out tool helps you to find and plan a day out by train, just in time for the summer holidays, but we want your ideas to take it the extra mile.”

So, whether you’ve got educational trips or adventure filled days planned for the summer holidays (and beyond!), let Trainline know about them and your train journey entertainment tips below.

All those who share a day out or tips for entertaining children on the train below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher from a store of their choice (from a list).

Please note that the days out tool is new and development of it is still underway. Some less popular train routes haven’t been added yet, but will be with time. There will also be more attractions added so please make suggestions on what you’d like to see next. Additionally, if you live in London please search from a mainline station to get the best results.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

[CMOTDibbler]

We'll be going to the Imperial War museum on the train, and to the Ashmolean in Oxford (once they finish with the 2 weeks of line closure). Ds loves the train, and we enjoy looking out for various things

[ataraxia]

Tip - pack a few spare plastic bags - plastic bags always come in handy at the shortest notice!

[ThomasRichard]

On days out going into London by train I've found a baby carrier really useful as it saves having to find space on the train for a buggy, heaving a buggy down from the carriage and then up and down hundreds of stairs at Underground stations.

[WottyMcWottFace]

We have a family day out planned aboard the Jacobite steam train from Fort William to mallaig via the Glenfinnan viaduct ( famous from the Harry Potter films) we have the Harry Potter books packed and window seats to take in the wonderful scenery and of course to play I spy! Can't wait!

[Lovewhereilive]

Just did a train trip to Scotland yesterday. The boys are lots, watched movies and just chatted.

[amylauren1]

I strongly recommend magazines/sticker activity packs for longer journeys. My little boy also loves watching things on my kindle. Which does rather mean I get bored as nothing to read! We've done several trips this summer and, cancellations and strikes permitting, will do several more. We always buy our tickets online early through trainline and take snacks/lunch. It does end up saving a lot.

[mumsnit]

We'd love to travel more by train but usually find it far more expensive for all of us as a family than driving, even booking in advance!

We're doing a short trip to a local town next week just so the kids can enjoy a train ride. It's just enough time for them to enjoy it rather than getting bored and us worrying about entertaining them! Love the fact that parking isn't an issue when we arrive too

[Havingkittens04]

Cannot wait to take DD on her first train journey (that she'll be old enough to remember) into the city centre for back to school bits and bobs, a nice lunch and show her where mammy works

Also, the beach is only 40mins away by direct train from our local station and will be glorious when the weather is nice x

[NobodyInParticular]

Do you think they want to hear about our family day out which was ruined by a Southern Trains fiasco?!

Or the fact that last time I tried to go to London in rush hour on a peak time travel card it was £50 and I ended up standing, so next time I'm considering just taking a £50 taxi instead?

[katiewalters]

We have gone to a few different places by train, as I don't drive. We have been to dudley zoo and warwick castle by train, and will go other places over the summer. I have a 3year old and 7year old, and when we go by train I normally take a snack each and a book each for them, and that normally keeps them quiet for the journey. I usually also get a network daytripper for me and my son, which is a ticket from the bus which you can use on the train and bus, in certain areas of the westmidlands

[bruffin]

Next Wednesday is our Silver Wedding Anniversary.We are taking train into London with the DC aged 18 and 20. We are having a tour of the Globe Theatre followed by afternoon tea there, then in the evening going to see Breakfast at Tiffanys.

Last week we took train and tube to Finsbury Park then walked the old tracks route through Finsbury Park then Queens Wood and Highgate woods (i think) and ending up at Ally Pally where i havent been since I was little. Lovely day out and as DH wasnt driving he and ds enjoyed a beer at Ally Pally. I walked 11 miles that day

[WayUpHigh]

We're planning to visit our local wildlife park, Alice Holt forest, and Paultons Park this summer.

We're also planning on a trip into London by train to visit the London Eye and the Sealife Centre.

[IonaAilidh11]

take lots of activities took keep kids amused and make the journey fun

[becky004]

We are going to London by train to see the sights, and catch a show. For the rest of the holidays, we live close to a country park, so will spend days treasure hunting in the forest, playing football in the fields, or lazing/swimming at the beach.

[NicHay]

I plan to take the children to Portsmouth to go to the Spinnaker Tower and take in some shopping at Gunwharf quays at the same time this summer and the Sky Garden in London by train.

[ThemisA]

We are having a 'staycation' this year so lots of local activities. We are working our way around local cycle paths with picnics. We have lots of coastal walks on our door step and plan to go fossil hunting. I am also working on a treasure hunt with clues and lots of questions with information to look up which gives them clues to where to go next. We are going to visit some friends and have a couple of nights camping in their garden.

[Ntinyn]

Going to Disney on the train next month. Planning lots of busy bags, snacks, ipad and walking up and down the aisles.

[TracyKNixon]

We have visited Beamish and Seahouses already this Summer and plan to visit Edinburgh Zoo in a couple of weeks!

[mave]

We're getting the train to London for a few days and have lots planned whilst we're there! We're also going to Liverpool, Llandudno this app would be very handy for us😁

[OlafLovesAnna]

We had a fabulous overnight trip to Cardiff via train. It's a 3hr journey so DS took a comic and a kindle to keep him amused on the way - I was pleased to find the train had wifi so I could research a work presentation en route too.

We also took a picnic and plenty of snacks for the journey, which helped ds a lot.

The app would be helpful if it suggested activities according to interest perhaps eg. historical, nature, free activities etc

[glenka]

We are going to go by train to London and have a great day out exploring.

[barbsbarbs]

many days out can be almost free, find out where all the museums and art exhibitions in the local or wider area, educate them on history and art, picnics bu the local paddling pools, pets corner, nature walks, scavenger hunts. summer scrapbooks, do a come dine with me experience where thye have to 'cook' something each night, sports days in local park, reading sessions at the library, there is so much that doesn't cost much at all..

[Darienne]

We are all off to the beach to explore the rock pool for life
Then go searching for fossils to show the little ones what life used to live on Earth millions of years ago

[jacqui5366]

being on a tight budget , but having big dreams for making memories for my children, it's a family bus pass for me and with a destination in mind, usually a museum (which are free) on a rainy day or a large park area on a sunny day, I take a packed lunch in my ruck sack with plenty of nibbles and drink.
We love to sit on the top deck and play the 'for sale' game looking for house for sale signs. So far we have been to the national transport museum and national film and photography museum.

[Lisapaige24]

Am taking my children to all the places I went to as a kid a bit of a trip down memory lane it's just a shame Camelot has closed down cause it was my favourite place to go as a kid but we have a list of places to go from new Brighton to west Kirkby beach , tam o shanter farm , towyn, swimming baths, children's play centre ,as you can see am going for the free options and taking picnics with us as its just too expensive during the school holidays but it do have a few days out planned to Alton towers,seaworld I have used the 2 for 1 off the cereal packs so saving us money we have been getting the train so that its self is keeping the kids happy ,but my kids are just desperate to go to Harry Potter in London so we are looking at taking them there at the bank holiday weekend as the other half has been doing overtime so we plan on using the extra money to take them hopefully.